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HAWAIIAN ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES INC

For the period ended Dec 31, 2024. Filed Feb 24, 2025.

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A company's yearly report to the SEC, with audited financial statements. It is the fullest account a company gives of its business, its finances and the risks it sees.

FY2024 · Filed Feb 24, 2025

HE$9.08+0.1%Stored close · as of Nov 10, 2026

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Item 2. Properties

HEI leases office space from a nonaffiliated lessor in downtown Honolulu under leases that expire in December 2027. See “Electric Utility” section for a description of properties owned and leased.

Hamakua Energy, LLC (Hamakua Energy), an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Current, which is included in the “All Other” segment, owns a 60-MW dual-train combined-cycle facility and a total of approximately 93 acres located on the Hamakua coast on the island of Hawaii. Its power plant is situated on approximately 59 acres and the remaining 34 acres includes surrounding parcels of which 30 acres are located on the ocean front. On February 7, 2025, the parent company of Hamakua Holdings, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of HEI and parent company of Hamakua Energy, entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement to sell all of the membership interests in Hamakua Holdings, LLC to an unaffiliated third party. The sale is expected to close in March 2025. Kaʻieʻie Waho Company, LLC (Kaʻieʻie Waho), a wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Current, owns a 6-MW solar photovoltaic facility located on approximately 20 acres on the southern coast of the island of Kauai.

Mahipapa, LLC (Mahipapa), a wholly owned subsidiary of Pacific Current, owns a 7.5- MW biomass facility located on approximately 65 acres of land and leases 3,500 acres on the island of Kauai.

Electric utility

Hawaiian Electric and subsidiaries and service areas. Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric (Utilities) are regulated operating electric public utilities engaged in the production, purchase, transmission, distribution and sale of electricity on the islands of Oahu; Hawaii; and Maui, Lanai and Molokai, respectively.

In 2024, the electric utilities’ revenues and net loss amounted to approximately 100% and 93% respectively, of HEI’s consolidated revenues and loss from continuing operations. The electric utilities’ revenues and net income amounted to approximately 99% and 133% in 2023 and approximately 100% and 117% in 2022, respectively, of HEI’s consolidated revenues and income from continuing operations.

The islands of Oahu, Hawaii, Maui, Lanai and Molokai have a combined population estimated at 1.4 million, or approximately 95% of the total population of the State of Hawaii, and comprise a service area of 5,815 square miles. The principal communities served include Honolulu (on Oahu), Hilo and Kona (on Hawaii) and Wailuku and Kahului (on Maui). The service areas also include numerous suburban communities, resorts, U.S. Armed Forces installations and agricultural operations. In November 2020, the PUC approved Hawaiian Electric’s acquisition of the electric distribution systems serving 12 U.S. Army installations on Oahu, including Schofield Barracks, Wheeler Army Airfield, Tripler Army Medical Center, Fort Shafter and Army housing areas.

The state has granted Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric nonexclusive franchises, which authorize the Utilities to construct, operate and maintain facilities over and under public streets and sidewalks. Each of these franchises will continue in effect for an indefinite period of time until forfeited, altered, amended or repealed.

Climate change action plan. In 2021, the Utilities set an aggressive goal to cut carbon emissions from power generation 70% by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. The emissions covered by this goal include stack emissions from generation owned by Hawaiian Electric and independent power producers (IPPs) who sell electricity to the Utilities. In addition, the Utilities have committed to achieving net zero carbon emissions from power generation by 2045 or sooner.

Key elements of the 2030 plan to reduce emissions include:

The closing of the state’s last coal plant, which occurred in September 2022 upon expiry of the PPA

Adding nearly 50,000 rooftop solar systems, more than a 50% increase, compared to the approximately 90,000 systems online in 2021 when the Climate Change action plan was developed

Retiring at least six fossil-fueled generating units and significantly reducing the use of others as new renewable resources come online

Adding additional renewable energy projects capable of generating a total of at least 1 gigawatt beyond resources in place in 2021, including shared solar (community-based renewable energy)

Using more grid-scale and customer-owned energy storage

Expanding geothermal resources

Creating innovative programs that provide customers incentives for using clean, lower-cost energy at certain times of the day and using less fossil-fueled energy at night

Since the time the 2030 goal was established, delays and cancellations in the commercial operation of new renewable third-party generation resources and higher costs as a result of supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures, as well as federal policies related to solar panel imports, have slowed the pace of progress toward reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The downgrade of Hawaiian Electric’s credit ratings after the Maui windstorm and wildfires, which makes it more difficult for independent power producers to procure low-cost financing, has added an additional impediment to completion of new renewable energy and storage projects. As a result of these challenges, the Utilities expect the planned 70% reduction in carbon emissions to be achieved later than the original 2030 target date. However, the Utilities will continue to replace significant amounts of fossil fuel generation with renewable energy between now and 2030 and expect to meet or exceed the State of Hawaii’s RPS goals.

After 2030, progress on elimination of carbon from power generation assumes continued use of proven resources, including wind, solar, geothermal, hydroelectric, biofuels and energy storage, along with the development of new and existing technologies. Those technologies may include offshore wind, green hydrogen, wave energy and carbon-capture—all currently under development around the world—as well as other solutions that will emerge. A diverse portfolio of resources will also enhance resilience to climate-related events.

Sales of electricity.

Years ended December 31202420232022
(dollars in thousands)Customer accounts*Electric sales revenuesCustomer accounts*Electric sales revenuesCustomer accounts*Electric sales revenues
Hawaiian Electric310,336$2,246,646309,631$2,324,044306,978$2,422,232
Hawaii Electric Light90,522475,55689,477458,15788,757479,566
Maui Electric71,678434,81072,497443,01773,933464,823
472,536$3,157,012471,605$3,225,218469,668$3,366,621
  • As of December 31.

Regulatory mechanisms. Base electric rates are set in rate cases, and on April 29, 2020, the PUC issued an order terminating the mandatory triennial rate case cycle in anticipation of the performance-based regulation framework (PBR Framework). The regulatory framework in effect in 2020 included a number of mechanisms designed to provide utility financial stability during the transition toward the state’s 100% renewable energy goals. For example, under the sales decoupling mechanism, the Utilities are allowed to recover from customers, target test year revenues, independent of the level of kilowatt-hour (kWh) sales. The decoupling mechanism (i.e., the Revenue Balancing Account) continues under the PBR Framework.

On December 23, 2020, the PUC issued a D&O in Phase 2 of the PBR proceeding, establishing the PBR Framework for the Utilities. The PBR Framework includes, among other matters, a five-year multi-year rate plan with an index-driven annual revenue adjustment (ARA), which replaces the RAM, modification of the MPIR mechanism (renamed Exceptional Project Recovery Mechanism (EPRM)) to include deferred and operation and maintenance (O&M) expense projects and to permit the Utilities to include the full amount of approved costs in the EPRM for recovery in the first year the project goes into service, pro-rated for the portion of the year the project is in service, and continuation of (i) the revenue balancing account, (ii) the pension and other postretirement benefit tracking mechanisms, and (iii) energy cost recovery clause, purchased power adjustment clause, and other recovery mechanisms. See “Commitments and contingencies-Regulatory proceedings-Performance-based regulation framework” in Note 4 of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

These regulatory mechanisms are summarized as follows:

MechanismDescription
Sales decouplingProvides predictable revenue stream by fixing net revenues at the level approved in last rate case (revenues not linked to kWh sales).
Annual Revenue Adjustment (ARA)Annually adjusts revenue levels during a Multi-Year Rate Period, determined by formula which includes an inflation factor, a predetermined productivity adjustment (currently set at zero), adjustments for exceptional circumstances not in the Utilities’ control and a customer dividend component. The ARA replaced the Revenue Adjustment Mechanism (RAM) effective June 1, 2021.
Exceptional Project Recovery Mechanism (EPRM)Reduces regulatory lag and permits recovery of revenues for net costs of approved eligible projects placed in service during the Multi-Year Rate Period through the revenue balancing account (RBA) that is not provided for by other effective tariffs, the ARA, Performance Incentive Mechanism (PIMS) or Shared Savings Mechanisms (SSMs). The EPRM was formerly known as the Major Project Interim Recovery (MPIR) adjustment mechanism.
Energy cost recovery clause (ECRC) and purchased power adjustment clause (PPAC)Allows for timely recovery of fuel and purchased power costs to reduce earnings volatility. Symmetrical fossil fuel cost risk-sharing (98% customer/2% utility) mechanism established for Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric capped at $2.5 million, $0.6 million and $0.6 million annually, respectively.
Performance incentive mechanism (PIM) / Shared Savings Mechanism (SSM)Annually adjusts revenue to recover from or credit customers for specific areas of the Utilities’ performance measured against the PUC’s approved targets. Adding a portfolio of SSMs and new PIMs is intended to encourage acceleration in renewables, grid services, interconnection of DERs, low-to-moderate income energy efficiency, advanced metering infrastructure, generation-based reliability (penalties only), interconnection of utility scale renewable projects, and cost control of non-ARA costs and allow for financial rewards for exemplary performance.
Pension and other post-employment benefit trackersAllows tracking of pension and other post-employment benefit costs and contributions above or below the cost included in rates in a separate regulatory asset/liability account.
Renewable energy infrastructure programPermits recovery of renewable energy infrastructure projects through a surcharge.
Pilot ProcessFosters innovation by establishing an expedited implementation process for pilots that test new technologies, programs, business models and other arrangements and allows for timely cost recovery of annual expenditures of approved pilot projects through an adjustment to target revenues. Proposed pilots are subject to PUC approval with a total annual cap of $10 million.
Earnings Sharing Mechanism (ESM)Protects the Utilities and customers from excessive earnings or losses, as measured by the Utilities’ achieved rate making ROACE; reflecting a symmetrical ESM for achieved rate making ROACE outside of a 300 basis points dead band above or below the current authorized ROACE of 9.5% for each of the Utilities.

Seasonality. kWh sales of the Utilities follow a seasonal pattern, but they do not experience extreme seasonal variations experienced by some electric utilities on the U.S. mainland. In Hawaii, kWh sales tend to increase in the warmer, more humid months as a result of increased demand for air conditioning and higher visitor arrivals. This is partially offset by the reduction of sales due to privately owned customer photovoltaic (PV) systems which generate the most energy during the aforementioned warmer months.

Significant customers. The Utilities derived approximately 11%, 12% and 12% of their operating revenues in 2024, 2023 and 2022, respectively from the sale of electricity to various federal government agencies. Hawaiian Electric continues to work with various federal agencies to implement measures that will help them achieve their energy efficiency, resilience and clean energy objectives.

Selected consolidated electric utility operating statistics.

Years ended December 3120242023202220212020
MWh sales (thousands)
Residential2,295.42,342.12,415.22,491.62,525.4
Commercial2,597.82,586.72,628.82,572.52,456.0
Industrial3,301.33,273.53,295.73,174.33,118.0
Other24.424.414.322.720.8
8,218.98,226.78,354.08,261.18,120.2
MWh net generated and purchased (thousands)
Net generated5,251.65,343.05,011.94,501.04,629.2
Purchased3,549.13,271.23,750.44,153.73,896.2
8,800.78,614.28,762.38,654.78,525.4
MWh customer-sited solar (thousands)1,691.21,585.51,522.41,418.01,325.8
RPS (%)135.833.331.838.434.5
Losses and system uses (%)6.44.24.44.34.5
Energy supply (December 31)
Net generating capability—MW1,6471,7391,7381,7381,737
Firm and other purchased capability—MW2366362362540517
2,0132,1012,1002,2782,254
Net peak demand—MW31,4241,4471,4671,4711,471
Btu per net kWh generated11,07411,10210,94110,98810,834
Average fuel oil cost per MBtu (cents)1,868.22,060.02,310.91,305.41,028.7
Customer accounts (December 31)
Residential417,253416,072413,744414,713412,484
Commercial53,81054,06054,41654,37354,035
Industrial712702696698694
Other761771812828826
472,536471,605469,668470,612468,039
Electric revenues (thousands)
Residential$1,011,289$1,028,415$1,069,974$843,655$770,135
Commercial1,013,5671,029,9271,077,521802,878708,180
Industrial1,122,1521,156,9091,211,242853,293754,775
Other10,0049,9677,8847,7806,440
$3,157,012$3,225,218$3,366,621$2,507,606$2,239,530
Average revenue per kWh sold (cents)38.4139.2140.3030.3527.58
Residential44.0643.9144.3033.8630.50
Commercial39.0239.8240.9931.2128.83
Industrial33.9935.3436.7526.8824.21
Other41.0540.7955.2434.1931.01
Residential statistics
Average annual use per customer account (kWh)5,5125,6285,8216,0226,145
Average annual revenue per customer account$2,429$2,471$2,579$2,039$1,874
Average number of customer accounts416,402416,177414,910413,725410,973
  1. In July 2022, former Governor Ige signed Act 240 (H.B.2089), which amended the RPS calculation from renewable energy as a percentage of sales to renewable energy as a percentage of total generation. The amended RPS calculation results in a lower calculated percentage than the amount calculated under the previous methodology.

2 Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) with 34.6 MW of firm capacity went offline due to lava flow on Hawaii Island in May 2018, but returned to service in the first quarter of 2021 and is currently providing 32.2 MW. Additionally, AES Hawaii provided 180 MW of firm capacity from its coal-fired cogeneration plant. The purchase power agreement expired on September 1, 2022 and was not renewed. The AES Hawaii coal plant has ceased operations.

3 Sum of the net peak demands on all islands served, noncoincident and nonintegrated.

Generation statistics. The following table contains certain generation statistics as of and for the year ended December 31, 2024. The net generating and firm purchased capability available for operation at any given time may be more or less than shown because of capability restrictions or temporary outages for inspection, maintenance, repairs or unforeseen circumstances.

Hawaiian Electric · Hawaii Electric Light · Maui Electric
Island of OahuIsland of HawaiiIsland of MauiIsland ofLanaiIsland ofMolokaiTotal
Net generating and firm purchased capability (MW) as of December 31, 20241
Conventional oil-fired steam units906.950.135.9——992.9
Diesel internal combustion engine—29.598.69.49.8147.3
Simple-cycle combustion turbines230.846.3——2.2279.3
Dual train combined-cycle unit—56.2113.6——169.8
Biodiesel internal combustion engine57.4————57.4
Firm contract power2276.590.0———366.5
1,471.6272.1248.19.412.02,013.2
Net peak demand (MW)31,050.0183.6178.55.95.81,423.8
Reserve margin40.0%48.2%39.0%59.3%106.9%41.4%
Annual load factor71.8%68.9%65.1%67.9%62.3%70.6%
MWh net generated and purchased (thousands)6,607.51,108.41,018.135.131.68,800.7

1 Hawaiian Electric units at normal ratings; Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric units at reserve ratings.

2 Nonutility generators - Hawaiian Electric: 208 MW (Kalaeloa Partners, L.P., oil-fired) and 68.5 MW (HPOWER, refuse-fired); Hawaii Electric Light: 60 MW (Hamakua Energy, oil-fired) and 34.6 MW (PGV, geothermal). PGV’s current limited capability of 32.2 MW has been incorporated into the utility’s firm contract power capability as of December 31, 2024.

3 Noncoincident and nonintegrated.

Generating reliability and reserve margin. Hawaiian Electric serves the island of Oahu and Hawaii Electric Light serves the island of Hawaii. Maui Electric has three separate electrical systems—one each on the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric have isolated electrical systems that are not currently interconnected to each other or to any other electrical grid and, thus, each maintains a higher level of reserve generation and cost structure than is typically carried by interconnected mainland U.S. utilities, which are able to share reserve capacity. These higher levels of reserve margins are required to meet peak electric demands, to provide for scheduled maintenance of generating units (including the units operated by IPPs relied upon for firm capacity) and to allow for the forced outage of the largest generating unit in the system.

Nonutility generation. The Utilities have supported state and federal energy policies which encourage the development of renewable energy sources that reduce the use of fuel oil as well as the development of qualifying facilities. The Utilities’ renewable energy sources and potential sources range from wind, solar, photovoltaic, geothermal, wave and hydroelectric power to energy produced by municipal waste and other biofuels.

The rate schedules of the electric utilities contain ECRCs and PPACs that allow them to recover costs of fuel and purchase power expenses.

In addition to the firm capacity PPAs described below, the electric utilities also purchase energy on an as-available basis directly from nonutility generators and through its Feed-In Tariff programs, as well as through renewable dispatchable generation power purchase agreements. The electric utilities also receive renewable energy from customers under its customer-sited DER programs.

The PUC has allowed rate recovery for the firm capacity and purchased energy costs for the electric utilities’ approved firm capacity and as-available energy PPAs.

Hawaiian Electric firm capacity PPAs. Hawaiian Electric currently has two major firm capacity PPAs that provide a total of 276.5 MW of firm capacity, representing 19% of Hawaiian Electric’s total net generating and firm purchased capacity on the Island of Oahu as of December 31, 2024.

Under a 1988 PPA, as amended, Hawaiian Electric is committed to purchase 208 MW of firm capacity from Kalaeloa Partners, L.P. (Kalaeloa). The Kalaeloa facility, which is a Qualifying Facility (QF), is a combined-cycle operation, consisting of two oil-fired combustion turbines burning low sulfur fuel oil (LSFO) and a steam turbine that utilizes waste heat from the combustion turbines. The PPA term ended on May 23, 2016 and was extended while the parties were in negotiations for a new agreement. The parties executed an Amended and Restated Power Purchase Agreement (ARPPA) on October 29, 2021, which among other provisions extends the term for ten contract years after the effective date. The ARPPA was approved on November 23, 2022. The parties executed a letter agreement to establish that the rates under the ARPPA became effective on January 1, 2023.

Hawaiian Electric also entered into a PPA in March 1986 and a firm capacity amendment in April 1991 with the City and County of Honolulu with respect to a refuse-fired plant (HPOWER). Under the PPA, as amended and restated, Hawaiian Electric is committed to purchase 68.5 MW of firm capacity annually up until the PPA expires on April 2, 2033.

Hawaii Electric Light firm capacity PPAs. Hawaii Electric Light has two major firm capacity PPAs that provide a total of 85.7 MW of firm capacity, representing 33% of Hawaii Electric Light’s total net generating and firm purchased capacity on the Island of Hawaii as of December 31, 2024.

In October 1997, Hawaii Electric Light entered into an agreement with Encogen, which was succeeded by Hamakua Energy Partners, L. P. (HEP). The agreement requires Hawaii Electric Light to purchase up to 60 MW (net) of firm capacity for a period of 30 years, expiring on December 31, 2030. The dual-train combined-cycle facility consists of two oil-fired combustion turbines and a steam turbine that utilizes waste heat from the combustion turbines, which primarily burns naphtha (a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons) and, starting in late 2019, biodiesel (comprising approximately 41.8% of HEP’s fuel mix in 2024). In November 2017, Hamakua Energy, an indirect subsidiary of HEI, purchased the plant from HEP. On February 7, 2025, the parent company of Hamakua Holdings, LLC, an indirect subsidiary of HEI and parent company of Hamakua Energy, entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement to sell all the membership interests in Hamakua Holdings, LLC to an unaffiliated third party. The sale is expected to close in March 2025. See “Sale of Hamakua Holdings, LLC” in Note 3 of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Hawaii Electric Light has a 35-year PPA, as amended, with Puna Geothermal Venture (PGV) for 34.6 MW of firm capacity from its geothermal steam facility, which will expire on December 31, 2027. However, the PGV facility went offline in May 2018 due to lava flow on Hawaii Island. In March 2019, Hawaii Electric Light entered into a Rebuild Agreement with PGV, which sets forth the parties’ respective responsibilities associated with restoration of the facility. The Rebuild Agreement shall govern the terms until PGV becomes fully operational. PGV returned to service at a level providing limited output without firm capacity in the fourth quarter of 2020 and is currently providing 32.2 MW of capacity. In December 2019, Hawaii Electric Light entered into an Amended and Restated PPA (ARPPA) with PGV to, among other things, extend the term by 25 years to 2052 and expand the firm capacity capable of being delivered to 46 MW. The ARPPA was approved by the PUC subject to certain conditions on December 29, 2023. See “New renewable PPAs” in the “Developments in renewable energy efforts” section in Hawaiian Electric’s MD&A.

Maui Electric firm capacity PPAs. Maui Electric currently has no firm capacity PPAs.

Fuel oil usage and supply. The rate schedules of the Utilities include ECRCs under which electric rates (and consequently the revenues of the electric utility subsidiaries generally) are adjusted for changes in the weighted-average price paid for fuel oil and certain components of purchased power, and the relative amounts of company-generated power and purchased power. See discussion of rates and issues relating to the ECRC below under “Rates.”

Hawaiian Electric’s steam generating units consume LSFO and Hawaiian Electric’s combustion turbine peaking units consume diesel. Hawaiian Electric’s Schofield Generating Station consumes mostly B99 grade biodiesel, but is permitted to also burn ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD).

Hawaii Electric Light’s and Maui Electric’s steam generating units burn high sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) and Hawaii Electric Light’s and Maui Electric’s Maui combustion turbine generating units burn diesel. Hawaii Electric Light’s and Maui Electric’s Maui, Molokai, and Lanai diesel engine generating units burn ULSD.

See “Fuel contracts” in Hawaiian Electric’s MD&A.

The following table sets forth the average cost of fuel oil used by Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric to generate electricity in 2024, 2023 and 2022:

Hawaiian Electric · Hawaii Electric Light · Maui Electric · Consolidated
$/Barrel · ¢/MBtu · $/Barrel · ¢/MBtu · $/Barrel · ¢/MBtu · $/Barrel · ¢/MBtu
2024114.421,839.5117.551,960.3115.931,945.6115.001,868.2
2023127.452,051.1124.042,063.7124.862,101.1126.732,060.0
2022144.632,339.5131.362,183.4135.392,274.5141.492,310.9

The average per-unit cost of fuel oil consumed to generate electricity for Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric reflects a different volume mix of fuel types and grades as follows:

Hawaiian Electric · Hawaii Electric Light · Maui Electric
% LSFO · % Biodiesel/Diesel · % HSFO · % Diesel · % HSFO · % Diesel
202493732682674
202392835652278
202293736642476

The prices that Hawaiian Electric and Hawaii Electric Light pay for purchased energy from certain older nonutility generators are generally linked to the price of oil. The energy prices for Kalaeloa, which purchases LSFO from Par Hawaii Refining, LLC (PAR), vary primarily with the price of Asian crude oil. On December 31, 2019, Hawaii Electric Light and PGV entered into an Amended and Restated Power Purchase Agreement, which delinks the pricing for energy delivered from the facility from fossil fuel prices. Hamakua Energy’s energy prices vary primarily with the cost of naphtha.

The Utilities estimate that 69% of the net energy they generate will come from fossil fuel oil in 2025 compared to 74% in 2024. Hawaiian Electric generally maintains an average system fuel inventory level equivalent to 47 days of forward consumption. Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric generally maintain an average system fuel inventory level equivalent to approximately one month’s supply of both HSFO and diesel. The PPA with Hamakua Energy requires that it maintains certain minimum fuel inventory levels.

Rates. Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric are subject to the regulatory jurisdiction of the PUC with respect to rates, issuance of securities, accounting and certain other matters. See “Regulation” below.

General rate increases require the prior approval of the PUC after public and contested case hearings. Rates for Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries include ECRCs, and PPACs. Under current law and practices, specific and separate PUC approval is not required for each rate change pursuant to automatic rate adjustment clauses previously approved by the PUC. Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) requires the PUC to periodically review the adjustment clauses related to energy cost of electric and gas utilities in the state, and such clauses, as well as the rates charged by the utilities generally, are subject to change. PUC approval is also required for all surcharges and adjustments before they are reflected in rates.

See “Utility projects” under “Commitments and contingencies” in Note 4 of the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Competition. See “Competition” in Hawaiian Electric’s MD&A.

Regulation. The PUC regulates the rates, issuance of securities, accounting and certain other aspects of the operations of Hawaiian Electric and its electric utility subsidiaries. See the previous discussion under “Rates”.

On September 15, 2014, the State of Hawaii and the U.S. Department of Energy executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) recognizing that Hawaii is embarking on the next phase of its clean energy future. The MOU provides the framework for a comprehensive, sustained effort to better realize its vast renewable energy potential and allow Hawaii to push forward in three main areas: the power sector, transportation and energy efficiency. This next phase is focused on stimulating deployment of clean energy infrastructure as a catalyst for economic growth, energy system innovation and test bed investments.

Electrification of Transportation. In June 2018, the PUC initiated a proceeding to review the Utilities’ Electrification of Transportation (EoT) Strategic Roadmap, which provided an economic analysis for light duty electric vehicles on the island of Oahu, Maui and Hawaii. The Utilities subsequently filed an update in May 2024, called the EoT Strategic Roadmap 2.0 to reflect changes to market conditions since 2018 and identifies potential utility EoT actions through 2030, through input from community and industry experts.

In October 2019, the Utilities filed their EoT Workplan, establishing a schedule to continue implementation of the EoT roadmap with a focus on EV rate design and make ready charging infrastructure in the near term. The Utilities followed through on the EoT Workplan, with three filings: the electric bus make ready infrastructure pilot, Charge Ready Hawaii commercial infrastructure pilot, and two commercial EV rates, EV-J and EV-P. The Utilities completed the 18-month Smart Charge Hawaii Telematics pilot in December 2024.

The Utilities operate 32 public DC fast chargers (DCFC) as part of the EV-U pilot and EV-MAUI tariff. They filed a request in the fourth quarter of 2021 to expand and make permanent the public charging pilot with an additional 150 DCFCs and 150 level 2 charging stations at 75 locations. On August 20, 2024, the PUC suspended the docket effective September 6, 2024, in line with the Utilities request for suspension filed on August 13, 2024. On January 10, 2025, the Utilities learned they were not awarded federal funding as part of the Federal Joint Office and Fueling Infrastructure grant. On January 15, 2025, the Utilities filed an update to the PUC responding to their December 10, 2024 letter with a status update on changes to the priority, timing, and ability to commit funds to the application once they hear back from the Department of Energy Loan Program Office.

In August 2020, the Utilities committed to electrifying 100% of its class 1 vehicles (sedans, SUVs and light trucks) by 2035.

Renewable Portfolio Standards. In 2015, Hawaii’s RPS law was amended to require electric utilities to meet an RPS of 15%, 30%, 40%, 70% and 100% by December 31, 2015, 2020, 2030, 2040 and 2045, respectively. Energy savings resulting from energy efficiency programs do not count toward the RPS since 2014 (only electrical generation using renewable energy as a source counts). In July 2022, former Governor Ige signed Act 240 (H.B.2089), that amended the RPS calculation from renewable energy as a percentage of sales to renewable energy as a percentage of total generation. The amended RPS calculation results in a lower calculated percentage than the amount calculated under the previous methodology. For example, the 2022 RPS achieved under the revised RPS calculation would have been 39.1% under the prior method versus 31.8% under the revised method. The change in the definition is to be applied prospectively to future milestone measurements and will require that the Utilities acquire more renewable energy than under the previous RPS calculation to comply with the RPS milestones; however, the Utilities expect to continue to meet the RPS milestones under the amended RPS law to exceed the 2030 RPS requirement of 40%. The ability of the Utilities to meet RPS milestones after 2030 may be impacted by the Utilities’ current credit ratings, which may impact independent power producers’ ability to secure low-cost financing. In 2024, the Utilities’ RPS was 35.8%.

Affiliate transactions. Certain transactions between HEI’s electric public utility subsidiaries (Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric) and HEI and affiliated interests (as defined by statute) are subject to regulation by the PUC.

In December 1996, the PUC issued an order in a docket to review the relationship between HEI and Hawaiian Electric and the effects of that relationship on the operations of Hawaiian Electric. The order required Hawaiian Electric to continue to provide the PUC with periodic status reports on its compliance with the PUC Agreement (pursuant to which HEI became the holding company of Hawaiian Electric). Hawaiian Electric files such status reports annually. In the order, the PUC also required the Utilities to present a comprehensive analysis of the impact that the holding company structure and investments in nonutility subsidiaries have on a case-by-case basis on the cost of capital to each utility in future rate cases and remove any such effects from the cost of capital. The Utilities have made presentations in their subsequent rate cases to support their positions that there was no evidence that would modify the PUC’s finding that Hawaiian Electric’s access to capital did not suffer as a result of HEI’s involvement in nonutility activities and that HEI’s diversification did not permanently raise or lower the cost of capital incorporated into the rates paid by Hawaiian Electric’s utility customers.

In December 2018, the PUC established a set of requirements governing transactions and sharing of information between the Utilities and its affiliates (Affiliate Transaction Requirements, ATRs), which was subsequently modified and clarified in January 2019 following the Utilities’ motion for reconsideration. The PUC stated the intent of the ATRs is to establish safeguards to avoid potential market power benefits and cross-subsidization between regulated and unregulated activities. The requirements include rules on interactions with affiliates, information handling, business development, political activities, promotional activities, sales of products and services, and employee sharing restrictions. The ATRs include implementing an internal code of conduct, a compliance plan, including policies and procedures to comply with the requirements, and having an audit conducted every three years that examines the compliance with the requirements. Penalties for non-compliance depend on the severity of the violation, and can range from daily fines to divestiture of the Utilities by the holding company. The second external audit is anticipated to commence in the second quarter of 2025 and the selection of the external auditor is pending PUC review and approval.

Other regulations. The Utilities are not subject to regulation by the FERC under the Federal Power Act, except under Sections 210 through 212 (added by Title II of PURPA and amended by the Energy Policy Act of 1992), which permit the FERC to order electric utilities to interconnect with qualifying cogenerators and small power producers, and to wheel power to other electric utilities. Title I of PURPA, which relates to retail regulatory policies for electric utilities, and Title VII of the

Energy Policy Act of 1992, which addresses transmission access, also apply to the Utilities. The Utilities are also required to file various operational reports with the FERC.

Because they are located in the State of Hawaii, Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries are exempt by statute from limitations set forth in the Powerplant and Industrial Fuel Use Act of 1978 on the use of petroleum as a primary energy source.

Regulatory Developments. See “Regulatory proceedings” in Note 4 of the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional discussions.

See also “HEI Consolidated–Regulation” above.

Environmental regulation. Hawaiian Electric, Hawaii Electric Light and Maui Electric, like other utilities, are subject to periodic inspections by federal, state and, in some cases, local environmental regulatory agencies, including agencies responsible for the regulation of water quality, air quality, hazardous and other waste and hazardous materials. These inspections may result in the identification of items needing corrective or other action. Except as otherwise disclosed in this report (see “Risk Factors” in Item 1A, and Notes 1 and 4 of the Consolidated Financial Statements), the Utilities believe that each subsidiary has appropriately responded to environmental conditions requiring action and that, as a result of such actions, such environmental conditions will not have a material adverse effect on the capital expenditures, earnings and competitive position of the Utilities.

Water quality controls. The generating stations, substations and other utility facilities operate under federal and state water quality regulations and permits, including, but not limited to, the Clean Water Act National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (governing point source discharges, including wastewater and storm water discharges) and the Safe Drinking Water Act Underground Injection Control (regulating disposal of wastewater into the subsurface).

Oil pollution controls. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) establishes programs that govern actual or threatened oil releases and imposes strict liability on responsible parties for clean-up costs and damages to natural resources and property. The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations under OPA require certain facilities that use or store oil to prepare and implement Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) Plans in order to prevent releases of oil to navigable waters of the U.S. Certain facilities are also required to prepare and implement Facility Response Plans (FRPs) to ensure prompt and proper response to releases of oil. The utility facilities that are subject to SPCC Plan and FRP requirements have prepared and implemented SPCC Plans and FRPs.

Air quality controls. The Clean Air Act (CAA) establishes permitting programs to reduce air pollution. The CAA amendments of 1990, established the federal Title V Operating Permit Program (in Hawaii known as the Covered Source Permit program) to ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state air pollution control requirements. The 1977 CAA Amendments established the New Source Review (NSR) permitting program, which affect new or modified generating units by requiring a permit to construct under the CAA and the controls necessary to meet the National Ambient Air Quality Standards.

Title V operating permits have been issued for all of the Utilities’ affected generating units.

Hazardous waste and toxic substances controls. The operations of the electric utility are subject to EPA regulations that implement provisions of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA, also known as Superfund), the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA), and the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) as well as equivalent State laws and regulations.

RCRA underground storage tank (UST) regulations require all facilities that use USTs for storing petroleum products to comply with established leak detection, spill prevention, standards for tank design and retrofits, financial assurance, operator training, and tank decommissioning and closure requirements. All of the Utilities’ USTs currently meet the applicable requirements.

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act under SARA Title III requires the Utilities to report potentially hazardous chemicals present in their facilities in order to provide the public with information so that emergency procedures can be established to protect the public in the event of hazardous chemical releases. Since January 1, 1998, the steam electric industry category has been subject to Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) reporting requirements.

The TSCA regulations specify procedures for the handling and disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a compound found in some transformer and capacitor dielectric fluids. The TSCA regulations also apply to responses to releases of PCBs to the environment. The Utilities have instituted procedures to monitor compliance with these regulations and have implemented a program to identify and replace PCB transformers and capacitors in their systems.

Hawaii’s Environmental Response Law (ERL), as amended, governs releases of hazardous substances, including oil, to the environment in areas within the state’s jurisdiction. Responsible parties under the ERL may be jointly, severally, and strictly liable for a release of a hazardous substance. Responsible parties include owners or operators of a facility where a hazardous substance is located and any person who at the time of disposal of the hazardous substance owned or operated any facility at which such hazardous substance was disposed.

The Utilities periodically discover leaking oil-containing equipment such as USTs, piping, and transformers. Each subsidiary reports releases from such equipment when and as required by applicable law and addresses the releases in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements.

State and Federal Endangered Species Act. Under the State and Federal Endangered Species Acts species that are listed as threatened or endangered are to be protected from harm. Various activities of the Utilities including vegetation management, operations, construction, and the presence of infrastructure in sensitive areas may have the potential to affect such species. The Utilities have developed best management practices, protocols and in some areas are developing habitat conservation plans and obtaining related permits to help protect these species.

Additional information. For additional information about Hawaiian Electric, see Hawaiian Electric’s MD&A, Hawaiian Electric’s “Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk” and Hawaiian Electric’s Consolidated Financial Statements, including the Notes thereto.

PropertyLocation (island)Principal Fuel TypeGenerating Capacity (MW)Status
Hawaiian Electric:
Waiau1,2OahuLSFO / Diesel388.2Active
Kahe1OahuLSFO620.5Active
Campbell Industrial Park (CIP)1OahuDiesel129.0Active
Honolulu Power Plant1OahuN/A—Retired in 2023
Schofield Generating Station3OahuBiodiesel / ULSD49.4Active
West Loch PV Project4OahuRenewable (Solar)20.0Active
Hawaii Electric Light5:
ShipmanHawaiiN/A—Retired in 2015
WaimeaHawaiiULSD7.5Active
KeaholeHawaiiDiesel / ULSD77.6Active
PunaHawaiiHSFO / Diesel36.7Active
Hill/KanoelehuaHawaiiHSFO / ULSD55.4Active
Distributed generators at substation sites6HawaiiULSD3.8Active
Maui Electric7:
KahuluiMauiHSFO35.9Active
MaalaeaMauiDiesel / ULSD208.4Active
Miki BasinLanaiULSD9.4Active
PalaauMolokaiULSD12.0Active
Distributed generators at substation sitesMauiULSD3.8Active

1 The four plants are situated on Hawaiian Electric-owned land having a combined area of 542 acres.

2 Waiau Units 3 and 4 were retired on December 31, 2024.

3 Hawaiian Electric has a 35-year land lease on 8.13 acres, effective September 1, 2016 (with an option to extend an additional 10 years), with the Department of the Army.

4 Hawaiian Electric has a 37-year land lease on 102 acres, effective July 1, 2017, with the Secretary of the Navy.

5 The plants are situated on Hawaii Electric Light-owned land having a combined area of approximately 44 acres. The distributed generators are located within Hawaii Electric Light-owned substation sites having a combined area of approximately four acres.

6 One of the four distributed generators (Panaewa D24, 1.25 MW) was damaged in a substation fire in January 2024.

7 The four plants are situated on Maui Electric-owned land having a combined area of 60.7 acres. The distributed generators are located within Maui Electric-owned substation sites having a combined area of approximately three acres.

As of December 31, 2024, the Utilities’ ownership in fuel storage facilities was as follows:

FacilityLocation (island)Fuel TypeCapacity (barrels in thousands)Generation Serviced
Hawaiian Electric:
Barbers Point Tank FarmOahuLSFO1,025Kahe, Waiau
Generation sites - various (in aggregate)OahuLSFO771Various
Generation sites - various (in aggregate)OahuDiesel147Various
Generation sites - various (in aggregate)OahuBiodiesel11Various
Hawaii Electric Light1:
Generation sites - various (in aggregate)HawaiiHSFO57Various
Generation sites - various (in aggregate)HawaiiDiesel87Various
Maui Electric2:
Generation sites - various (in aggregate)MauiHSFO84Various
Generation sites - various (in aggregate)MauiDiesel109Various

1 There are an additional 19,249 barrels of diesel and 24,675 barrels of HSFO storage capacity for Hawaii Electric Light-owned fuel off-site at Island Energy Services, LLC-owned terminalling facilities.

2 There are an additional 56,358 barrels of diesel oil storage capacity off-site at Aloha Petroleum, Ltd-owned terminalling facilities.

Other properties. The Utilities own overhead transmission and distribution lines, underground cables, pole (some jointly) and metal high voltage towers. Electric lines are located over or under public and nonpublic properties.

Hawaiian Electric owns a total of 126.5 acres of land on which substations, transformer vaults, distribution baseyards and the Kalaeloa cogeneration facility are located. Hawaiian Electric also owns buildings and approximately 11.6 acres of land located in Honolulu, which house its operating and engineering departments. It also leases an office building and certain office spaces in Honolulu, land for office spaces and storage in Pearl City, and a warehousing center in Kapolei.

Hawaii Electric Light owns 6 acres of land in Kona, which is used for a baseyard, and one acre of land in Hilo, which houses its accounting, customer services and administrative offices. Hawaii Electric Light also leases 3.7 acres of land for its baseyard in Hilo under a lease expiring in 2030. In addition, Hawaii Electric Light owns a total of approximately 150 acres of land, and leases a total of approximately 6 acres of land, on which hydro facilities, substations and switching stations, microwave facilities and transmission lines are located. The deeds to the sites located in Hilo contain certain restrictions, but the restrictions do not materially interfere with the use of the sites for public utility purposes.

Maui Electric’s administrative offices, as well as its engineering and distribution departments, are situated on 9.1 acres of Maui Electric-owned land in Kahului. Maui Electric also owns approximately 20 acres of land which house some of its substations, leases approximately 3,600 square feet of land for its telecommunication and microwave facilities, leases approximately 6,000 square feet of land at Kahului Harbor for pipeline purposes, and leases 17,958 square feet of land at Puunene for the Puunene Substation. Maui Electric also owns approximately 87 acres of undeveloped land at Waena, Palaau, and Kahului. Fuel storage facilities are located on Maui Electric-owned properties at Kahului Baseyard, Kahului Power Plant, Maalaea Power Plant, Miki Basin, Palaau, Hana, and the Kuihelani Substation. Two, 1-MW stand-by diesel generators are located within the Maui Electric-owned land at Hana Substation. One, 1.83-MW stand-by diesel generator is located within the Maui Electric-owned land at Kuihelani Substation.

See “Hawaiian Electric and subsidiaries and service areas” above for a discussion of the nonexclusive franchises of Hawaiian Electric and subsidiaries.

See “Generation statistics” above for a further discussion of some of the electric utility properties.

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